There are many surgical procedures which require access to internal organs of humans and animals. Common surgical techniques used in the past have involved making large incisions to gain access to internal organs. Of particular importance are organs, also known as viscus, which are contained within the peritoneal cavity. Viscus such as the stomach, small intestine and, gall bladder are typically accessed by making a large incision in the abdominal wall.
In recent years, experimentation with much smaller surgical incision has indicated that the risk of patient trauma and death are greatly reduced when compared to traditional large incisions. Unfortunately, in many cases it has been very difficult to obtain and maintain proper surgical access to the organ being operated upon when only a small incision is made.
The present invention provides an apparatus for stapling two layers of body tissue together to form a very small surgical opening. A typical use is to attach the abdomen or other body wall to a hollow organ to provide direct access to the inside of the hollow organ. The size of the opening necessary to gain access to the interior of the hollow organ is greatly reduced and therefore is much less susceptible to creating trauma in the patient.
The prior art relevant to this application includes end-to-end anastomosis devices used to staple the ends of a severed bowel back together. Such devices use a circular row of staples which are driven against an adjustably positioned end piece containing an anvil. The staples are driven through the bowel tissue and bent when they engage the anvil to thereby secure the ends of the bowel together.